Smart Buzz-Building

I just received the following email from SkyHigh Airlines, a funny viral-marketing airline parody created by Alaska Airlines. I can only assume that they got my email from my blog post featuring their site. I'm also assuming that they got some decent traffic from various blog posts like mine, and they're hoping to keep the buzz going. And here I am, doing exactly what they want: featuring this email in my blog. I have to give them credit: they're figuring out how to leverage the blogosphere to create and maintain buzz.

From The Desk Of Howard Barium Chairman and CEO, SkyHigh Airlines

May 1, 2004

Hello valued passenger or creditor!

I come to you with great news: SkyHigh is doing something!

Like many of you, I was surprised by recent reports of the alarming disparity in SkyHigh airlines seat pricing, one seat sometimes costing a thousand dollars more than the seat next to it.

Once I recovered from a wave of profit-induced dizziness, I was shocked. I immediately pledged to look into it after my golf game.

What I found was a computer system so slow and antiquated I had to give up on even getting my e-mail. I worked on it for hours until a clever young man pointed out I was typing things into the office microwave.

After that was cleared up, I realized that our fares are not random enough. Our consumers are in real danger of getting the same fare!

It was clear. SkyHigh needed to develop a proprietary random fare generator. One that is beyond reproach for randomness and corrupting human bias. One that gives us the ability to look consumers in the eye and say, “We have no idea how this happened.”

The solution? Trent, the pricing chicken.

Unlike Alaska Airlines and their Common Sense Fare initiative, Trent has very little initiative and does it pretty much for the feed. And common sense? Ever try talking to a chicken? On the other hand, I bet no one at Alaska can work a 10-key with their face.

While we are on the subject, Alaska is flaunting simplicity? Have you looked under the hood of your car, lately? Complexity is the future. It’s sad really. It’s like the confused Neanderthal throwing rocks at the moon to make the sun come back. Poor things. I wish them best of luck.

No, you don’t have to thank us. Our fares are random because random is only fair.

See this wonder of white meat we call Trent at www.skyhighlines.com.

Okay.

Good stuff.

Howard

Comments

[Ben Smith]

Count me in as sucker #2!

[Peter Caputa]

sucker here too.